Pontiac's Ultimate Soccer Arenas expanding with acquisition of former GM property WITH VIDEO

Ultimate Soccer Arenas co-owner George Derderian, left, shows plans of their expansion to Pontiac Emergency Manager Lou Schimmel before the announcement that they will acquire adjacent property from RACER Trust. The purchase will make it the largest non-professional sports facility in the world. Wednesday, April 17, 2013. The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson during the announcement that Ultimate Soccer Arenas will acquire adjacent property from RACER Trust. The purchase will make it the largest non-professional sports facility in the world. Wednesday, April 17, 2013. The Oakland Press/TIM THOMPSON

PONTIAC -- The city's "ultimate" home for indoor soccer and lacrosse is about to get a little more so with the planned addition of outdoor fields. With the help of the RACER Trust, Ultimate Soccer Arenas announced Wednesday a planned expansion after which it says it will become the world's largest non-professional sports facility.

More than 14 acres of land will be acquired along Centerpoint Parkway on the city's south side, along and behind the current facility on South Boulevard near Opdyke Road. Already believed to be the largest indoor soccer facility in the world at 267,000 square feet, Ultimate Soccer Arenas is expected to grow to more than 335,000 square feet this summer.

The property formerly belonging to a vacated General Motors plant will be incorporated into the expansion, which will be redeveloped into more outdoor soccer and lacrosse fields.

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Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Work is expected to begin this summer and is to be concluded in time for the fall season. Ultimate Soccer Arenas co-owner George Derderian said the fields have already been booked for the beginning of the season in October.

"We're in the two fastest-growing sports in America," he said.

The building currently houses two full-sized fields and another nearly of the same size. It also has a full-service restaurant, on-site physical therapy, a pro shop and a pub.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson sees the expansion as the latest in his administration's healthy living initiatives.

"This is about quality of life," he said, noting Oakland County is the third-highest ranked county in the state in terms of raising children with healthy habits. "It's important for people to get outside."

The expansion is expected to add more than 100 construction jobs and an additional 25 full-time jobs at Ultimate Soccer Arenas, which currently has 75 full-time employees on the books.

The facility will also add an estimated 600 parking spaces to accommodate the additional traffic.

Opened in 2007, Ultimate Soccer Arenas is home to the Michigan Bucks, a minor league amateur soccer team and the Detroit Mechanix, a professional disc team. The arena is also home to the men's and women's soccer teams of Rochester College as well as the University of Detroit men's lacrosse team. More than 7,000 local youth soccer players play league matches at the facility as well.

The RACER Trust was established in 2011 to clean up and repurpose facilities in 14 states once owned by General Motors, and has overseen the transformation of nearly 30 former GM properties.

RACER has also conducted the conversion of other Pontiac GM properties such as the Fiero Assembly Plant and the former Pontiac Assembly Plant. The Fiero plant redesign is expected to attract new business yielding 30 to 50 initial jobs, according to a press release.